Wesser's UK account

What is Britain really like? "There's lots of Audis and BMWs," Penrith fullback Rhys Wesser said after 10 hours in England.

"Theres a lot of countryside and heaps of people."

Wesser, the attacking hit of the 2003 NRL season, made his observations through bleery eyes as the Australasian champions touched down at Heathrow in the early hours of Thursday morning and then endured a three-hour bus

journey to their base in Leeds ahead of next Friday's World Club Challenge against Bradford.

"Every time I come to England I think it might be my last visit," said a grinning Panthers coach and former Kangaroo, John Lang. "But I always end up coming back."

While a sizeable proportion of the 28-person Penrith party are enjoying their first trip to the UK, others are old hands.

Kangaroos Craig Gower, Trent Waterhouse, Luke Lewis and Joel Clinton were last in West Yorkshire just over two months ago.

As the squad returned from a light training session, they pointed out nocturnal landmarks in the city

centre to younger team-mates who feigned disinterest.

The NRL champs are allowed just one night out before the big game - this weekend.

Panthers chief executive Shane Richardson arrived in the land of audis and BMWs four days before the players and attended two games in that time.

The former CEO of Gateshead and Hull, he said: "In five years here, they only team I didn't beat was Bradford".